The present invention relates to a new and distinct hybrid cultivar of mandarin tree (Citrus reticulata) designated ‘UF1351’. ‘UF1351’ can be distinguished at least by the mid-season maturation and high quality rating of its fruit, and its significant tolerance to Huanglongbing (HLB), which is also known as citrus greening disease.
‘UF1351’ was derived from a seedling tree that was selected from a family of hybrids that was produced by a cross performed at Lake Alfred, Fla. in the spring of 1991. The seed parent was ‘LB8-9’ (U.S. Pat. PP21,356), which was produced by crossing the mandarin variety ‘Clementine’ (unpatented) and tangelo variety ‘Minneola’ (unpatented). The pollen parent was the tangor cultivar ‘Murcott’ (unpatented), which has unknown parentage. The original seedling tree was planted in the field at Lake Alfred, Fla. in October, 1993 and was selected during the autumn of 2003. ‘UF1351’ was first asexually propagated in 2008 at Lake Alfred, Fla. by top working it onto existing, unreleased and unnamed citrus seedling rootstock hybrids that were growing in the field. ‘UF1351’ was also grafted onto unreleased seedling rootstock hybrids as well as sour orange in the greenhouse and then field-planted.